no idea what that is in the timeline, especially for competitive schools. is that like just on time? not really early?? are people who apply in december at a disadvantage than those in sept?
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no idea what that is in the timeline, especially for competitive schools. is that like just on time? not really early?? are people who apply in december at a disadvantage than those in sept?
3 comments
I'm all over these message boards with some variations of the following regarding the most competitive schools:
Best time to apply: pre-Nov 1. From Sept 1 - Nov 1, admissions officers are generally busy traveling to law fairs and recruitment events. This present week is actually the last really busy week of these events. In an ideal world, it'd be great to have your app in this first batch of apps that the admissions officers come home to.
Still just fine: pre-Thanksgiving.
We're starting to push it a smidge based on last year: mid-Dec. Last April, there were a number of schools in the top 20-25 US News rankings that hadn't even gotten to providing decisions for apps submitted around Christmas. While acknowledging that Christmas is famously after Dec 15th, we've been advising people to submit earlier if possible.
Shooting your shot: Post-Jan 1.
But I'll also reiterate another message I've been saying for weeks/months - you have to apply when your app is at its strongest. So if you need to take the November or January LSAT, then you have to do what you have to do. But if you're in a position where it's just a matter of doing your apps and getting them submitted, I'd offer the above timeline to help provide some guidance/inspiration!
@JacobBaska thank you!! ive seen your comments before and was hoping you'd comment haha. im waiting for my oct score right now and preparing my materials. hopefully won't need to retake but if i do im registered for nov. in the mean time, ive been working on essays like my PS, DS, and LSAT addendum (flopped my first bc of a health reason). really trying to get it all together but just nervous im going to be late or get disadvantaged by not being able to realistically apply earlier than end nov/early dec.
@lsatbaddie I will say, if after oct score release your score fits the median for some of your schools but maybe not some, I do not think it would hurt to submit those earlier. While there is that possibility of nov/jan test, I do think those apps are somewhat at a disadvantage. As much as it sucks imo, I think that early submission can be super beneficial, to where if I took those later tests and liked my score, I would apply light w some optimism, but waiting next cycle and applying pretty much as they open would not seem crazy to me. That's not to say anybody who applies later in the cycle is not going to be admitted, but there is advantage in being early. It could also be the difference between an A and a WL! I wish you the best of luck and hope this does not seem like I am fearmongering you into submitting early lol